The TMS codes system
TMS is a technology that combines the SMS shortcode system* and the Tiny URL system** and upgrades them by introducing intelligence.
* The SMS shortcode solution enables access to an offer on mobile via an exchange of text.
Example: send NIKE 1010 (the keyword) to 6564 (the local #)
** The Tiny URL solution enables to replace a long URL address by a smaller one.
Example: http://www.mycompany.com/special_promo/HK/access . can be replaced by one unique tiny Url (that can't be branded) http://bit.ly/WE34GD
The TMS system is based on 2 components:
The TMS code is a short and smart code (an alphanumeric keyword i.e. TMS: WFF 123) that can be linked to a long URL(s) of a mobile page(s) or an instruction such as an action to launch.
Note: A TMS code can be 'intelligent':
A unique TMS code can be associated to different mobile offers (URLs) and instructions. For example this functionality can be used for location based distribution, yield management, or a distribution per OS.
A TMS code can be "cloned". TMS can provide different TMS codes attached to the same offer(s) or instruction(s). The goal is to place a different code per media to identify of from where (which media) the consumers access the offer.
The TMS search is an exclusive search engine of TMS codes. It enables the retrieval of an instruction associated to a code, the analysis of consumer responses to the campaign, and is used to deliver the right action to the consumer using an algorithm that is part of the TMS IP.
The consumer environment includes handset model, location, time, date, code usage history, and more.
TMS search is accessible via a simple web browser at TMSsearch.com or via a mobile application 'TMS mobile client' The TMS client application is compatible with the following operating systems:
IOS and Java (Sept 2011) Android and Windows mobile (Q4 2011)
Different TMS codes
The editor of TMS shortcodes enables users to create numeric short codes from 5 to 11 digits. The 8 to 11 digits are usually used to create a shortcode with the phone number of a store or business. This permits a consumer to either call the number or use it in TMS search to access the store or company mobile site.
The platform allows users to create vanity (branded) codes which associate a '2 to 6 letters' root to a '3 to 4 digits' number. The platform also allows the users to purchase a branded shortcode root to use it for future campaigns (associated to different 4 digit numbers).
Who can use TMS codes?
- Global or local content providers, marketers, coupons distributors and mobile applications developers who want to give free and direct access to their content, promotion or free app. They just need to promote their shortcode to end users, providing an immediate access to the content desired by consumers while collecting data and metrics.
- Merchants, developers of games, goods or applications who want to sell items can use TMS code technology to give an instant access to a mobile transaction and can use the TMS mobile payment solution, TMS Pworld, for the transaction.
- Using TMS shortcodes in Social media post such as Facebook and Twitter is a powerful way to drive this audience to your event or point of sales providing location based and personalized mobile offers via this TMS Url messaging vehicle.
How to obtain TMS codes?
TMS provides different ways to build a mobile campaign using TMS shortcodes: 1) Premium services provided by the TMS team 2) A self service platform to create shortcodes or create mobile offers and shortcodes 3) An API library to allow third parties to integrate the TMS services such as the editor of shortcodes and the search engine of shortcodes, in their own business or application.
To create a short code:
A) You can directly create your shortcode in real time from the top menu bar of TMSshortcodes.com and link your code to an existing mobile offer or to a mobile microsite built with TMS templates.
Step 1
From the "New shortcode" menu, use the TMS tool to locate the shortcode of your desire. You can choose to create a vanity code of 2 to 6 letters (the root) and 4 numeric digit (i.e. TALIKA 30 10) or a numeric code (from a 5 digit code " 234 56" to a phone number with 8 to 10 digit numbers). Note: After the duration of the campaign, the shortcode will be placed back in the available pool. If you want to keep a "TMS shortcode Root" (eg. NIKE) for your company, you can purchase it for a year (renewable). You will be able to create new campaigns with TMS shortcode using your root and adding a new 4 numeric digits.
Step 2
Link this code to an existing URL (or different URLs for location based distribution) or create your mobile offer with our TMS basic templates (going to TMSfactory.com).
Step 3
Spread your shortcode using your media campaigns or promotion material and invite consumers to log on at TMSsearch.com using their mobile, and enter your given code (e.g. Use your mobile to log on TMSsearch.com and enter the code EVIAN 3010).
B) You can create a mobile site and a shortcode using the TMSfactory.com platform (menu "M site builder" above) to develop a mobile offer using the TMS templates library and to create the campaign shortcode. You will access all the tools to manage the offer, the metric, and data of the campaign.
C) If under premium services, you can contact the TMS team to send you a mock up and a quotation in 3 days. The TMS team will develop an end-to-end campaign (shortcodes + mobile offers) for you in one week. Please contact our premium team here
SMS and TMS Shortcodes differences
The SMS shortcodes are based on text messaging. They can provide consumers access to a brand mobile site in 3 steps: the user needs to send (and pay) the first SMS in order to receive an SMS from the brand with a text and a static URL linked to the brand mobile site.
The TMS shortcodes optimized for URL messaging reduce the consumer activation to 1 step with no SMS involved. The TMS codes direct consumers instantly to an optimized experience. On the brand side, the TMS code system reduces the process to a one-step experience and offers multiple possibilities in term of actions.
The Short code market
As consumer usage of mobile devices explodes, mobile marketing has emerged as a viable marketing channel, with eMarketer predicting mobile ad spending growing to $100 billion by 2013. Privacy and spam concerns slowed the adoption of mobile marketing but the success of some mobile campaigns to receive mobile coupons, on other hand, has revealed that consumers are willing to participate in timely, relevant campaigns.
Brand Companies, who understand that mobile may be the best channel to reach the households no longer owning a landline telephone, are turning to "Shortcodes" mobile marketing today because it delivers personal, immediate, and actionable content to a target audience that has opted to receive messages.
In addition to providing access and engagement to the world's largest addressable market, short codes campaigns have proven to be more effective than some other marketing methods such as email or banner ads. For example in US, SMS-based campaigns achieve over a 50% opt-in rate, compared to 22.1% for email. Consequently, mobile is capable to deliver profound results in terms of response rate and database generation, far superior to the traditional forms of advertising.
Today, mobile can be approached as a bridge between any brand media campaign and consumers to deliver in 1 click a personalized experience using the new generation of short codes provided by TMS - easy to use and adapted to the new generation of phones. To learn more about the shortcode market get the TMS shortcodes white paper